Well packer



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WELL PACKER Application May 4, 1935, Serial No. 19,834

7 Claims. (Cl. 166-10) My invention relates to packers for oil Wells and the like, and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a packer having a bypass channel through its packing element and exteriorly of its mandrel or body member to permit ow of fluids past and around the packing element as the packer is raised or lowered in the well bore, thereby providing a packer which may be readily and easily lowered or withdrawn from a liquid and particularly'a mud filled well bore;

Second, to provide a packerwherein the packing element is not directly subjected to the weight of the tubing string, but is expanded radially againstI the surrounding formation or casing by an internal expanding member and the direct weightof the tubing string is carried by other elements designed for such purpose;

Third, to provide a packer which is particularly suitable for use as a formation packer;

Fourth, to provide a packer which incorporates a novelly arranged packing element and restraining cage therefor;

Fifth, to provide a packer wherein the packing element tends to increase its sealing engagement with the well bore when the pressure above the packing element exceeds the pressure below, but readily releases in response to an upward pull on the tubing string; and

Sixth, to provide on the whole a novelly constructed and arranged packer which is eflcient in its action, sturdy of construction, and economical of manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view as may appear hereinafter, attention is directed to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 ris a longitudirl sectional view of my packer taken substantially through I-I 4of Figure 3 as it appears when being lowered or raised in a well bore, the connections at the ends of the packer being broken away.

Figure 2 is a similar sectonal view of my packer when in its set or sealing position and showing the tubing string and perforated liner fragmentarily.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of a modified form of my packing element.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a. perforated pipe constituting the lowermost member of my packer assembly shown in Figures l and 2. `Y

The upper end of said pipe is threaded, or rigidly secured in anysuitable manner, to a guide member 2 provided with a centrally disposed passage 3 which is tapped to receive threads 4 on a tubular support member or mandrel 6.

The wall thickness of member 6 is successively reduced to form annular shoulders 'I and 8. 'I'he major head portion of member 6 is made to slide within a centrally disposed bore 9 in a sleeve member I'I, threaded at I2 for engagement with a tubing string I3.

The bore 9 in sleeve II is reduced to form an annular shoulder I4 adapted to abut shoulder 1 on the support 6 and, when so engaged, said shoulder supports the Weight of member 6, guide 2, and perforated pipe I.

Shoulder 8 on support member 6 serves as a stop to limit the travel of a spider ring I6, provided with radially disposed lugs I l, Figure 3, the inner ends of which slidably contact the peripheral surface of member 6 at its smallest diameter.

Spider ring I6 engages the lower end of a packing sleeve I8, said ring and said sleeve being provided with interlocking complementary configurations on their confronting surfaces, indicated at I9 in the drawing.v

The packing sleeve I8 is confined, circumferentially,rwithin a basket of springs 2| of flexible material. The lower ends of said springs are secured, as by screws 22, to the spider ring I6. and the upper ends, as by screws 24, to a ring 26 slidable on the sleeve II.

Sleeve II is provided with an enlarged body portion, said body being at on the top to form a shoulder 2l for abutment with ring 26.

Said body portion is tapered, as indicated at 28, to form a conical spreader intermediate said sleeve II. The lower end of sleeve II is of a diameter coinciding substantially 'with that of the opening 29 through packing sleeve I8, and is of a length sufficient to penetrate and stabilize laterally, said packing sleeve, when the sleeve II is lowered to dilate the packing sleeve by the entrance of the conical spreader 28.

Operation When my packer is run in to a well bore 3I, the parts assume the relative positions shown in Figure 1. Drilling fluid encountered by the descending implement is displaced through slots 32, cut radially in the guide 2 which serves as a centering means for the assembly above. Said fluid also liows through opening 29 within the packing sleeve I8 and out between the spring members 2|.

This fluid passage is normally kept open as the Y packer is run in, by the weight of the suspended members I, 2 and 6, and/or by an expansion spring 33 bearing at one end against the lower end of tubing string I3 and at the opposite end against the top of support member 6.

' When the perforated pipe I encounters the rounding formation wall as indicated in Figure 2.

It will be noted that, when the packer is set, the weight of the tubing string is not applied directly to the deformed packing sleeve I8, but is transmitted, through sleeve II, and lugs Ii1 and -guide 2, to the perforated pipe I, resting on the bottom of the well.

The resilient packing material of sleeve I8 is displaced laterally by spreader 28 and adapts itself i to inequalities in thesurface of the formation wall. Any excess of rubber is free to displace at the top of said sleeve which is unconfined."v

When the packer is set, as in Figure 2, the in- A terlocking portions of sleeve I8 and spider ring I6 are prevented from disengagement by the lower end of sleeve II.

VWhen the packer is to be removed, upward movement of tubing string I3 withdraws spreader 28 from the packing sleeve I8 which is held by frictional engagement with formation and by engagement of lugs I1, of the spider ring IG, with the shoulder 8 on support 6.

While the packer is set, springs 2| are bowed, causing -a downward movement of collar '26 to which said springs are attached at the top. Said springs become embedded in the resilient packing, as indicated in dotted lines, Figure 2.

When the tubing string is lifted, shoulder 21 on sleeve I I encounters ring 26 and straightens the bowed springs 2I, causing them to compress the packing sleeveAI8 and restore it to original shape, as in Figure l.j

I claim:

l. In a packer: a pair of tubular members connected in a manner to provide a limited degree of relative longitudinal movement; an annulus of resilient material; means responsive to relative movement of said tubular members in one direction for dilating said annulus radially; and an instrumentality responsive to relative movement of said tubular members in the opposite direction for contracting said annulus radially.

'2. In a packer: a pair of tubular members connected in av manner to provide a limited degree,

of relative longitudinal movement; a packing annulus of resilient material; a cage surrounding packing annulus in an inoperative position; 'and ,means moveable within said cage and connected with o'ne of said tubular members for entering and expanding said packing annulus radially in oppositionto said retracting elements.

3. In a packer; a sleeve of resilient material; a keeper ring encircling one end of said sleeve, said sleeve and keeper ring having complementary interlocking portions; a dlating means adapted to be inserted in said sleeve to expand it radially; and means associated with the dilating means for engaging said sleeve and holding it in its interlocked relation with said ring.

4. In a well packer; a packing sleeve restrained at its lower end and radially dilatable at its upper portion, said sleeve providing a circulating passage through its interior; and a combined dilating and sealing member adapted to be inserted in said packing sleeve to expand the same radially and seal said passage.

5. In a Well packer; a packing annulus; a combined dilating and sealing member adapted to be' packing sleeve to expand the same radially and seal said passage; and means tending to constrict the packing sleeve whereby the packing sleeve is urged to a constricted position upon withdrawal of said dilating member. a'

'1. In a well packer; a packing sleeve providing a circulating passage through itsinterior; a keeper ring encircling one end of said sleeve, said sleeve and keeper ring having complementary interlocking portions; a dilating means adapted to be inserted in said sleeve to expand it radially; means associated with the dilating means for engaging said sleeve and holding it in its interlocked relation with said ring; and circulating valve means formed by said dilating means and packing sleeve for controlling said passage.

GERHARD MEYER. 

